Both photos I came up with have featured in other posts fairly recently. I’d have preferred to use original images, but they fit the bill, so what the heck.

The first picture is of Rich’s Mum, Auriel, in a grove of redwoods along the Avenue of the Giants. I like the juxtaposition of the dark and light between the shady forest and the shaft of sunlight in which she’s standing. Not to mention the contrast of Auriel (who is only 5’ 1” tall) and the giant redwoods. I used this image in another photo challenge this past November, Travel Theme: Short Layers, as well as in my Where’s Jaspa? post, back on June 5th last year.

The short and the tall: Auriel among the redwoods

The second photo is an aerial shot (from a helicopter with the doors off!) of lava devouring a forest on the Big Island of Hawai’i. I love trees, but seeing (and smelling) them burning at the edge of a lava flow was an amazing experience. This image was featured in my recent blog, Hot Helicopters Over Hawai’i.

Life and death, fuel and fire: these trees don’t stand a chance against molten lava

I’m also submitting this week’s travel themed photos for Flickr Comments’ A to Z Challenge, which this week features the letter ‘C’, since the first picture was taken in California, while the second was taken from a ‘Copter.

Once you’ve stopped groaning at that last remark, why not sign up and follow my continuing Journeys here at Jaspa’s Journal, or through my website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram?

And if that’s not enough for you, there are now three Jaspa’s Journey novels to enjoy as ebooks! Perfect for Kids 8 – 80!

Thanks, Sue. Seeing the lava (and feeling the heat from it) was an incredible bucket list moment. Especially for Rich (the fingers behind the keyboard for all things Jaspa), who used to be an environmental scientist.

That said, we were a little disappointed that Kilauea was having a calm period while we were there. Lava had been following into the sea more or less constantly since 1986, but stopped three months before we arrived. And then in the last week or so there’s been some quite spectacular eruptions again. Rats!

Oh well, I guess we still have unfinished business on the Big Island, and in Hawaii as a whole!